Any developer or IT professional can be
productive with Azure. The integrated tools, pre-built
templates, and managed services make it easier to build and manage enterprise,
mobile, web, and Internet of Things (IoT) apps faster, using skills you already
have and technologies you already know.

Some cloud providers make you choose
between your datacenter and the cloud. Not Azure, which easily integrates with
your existing IT environment through the largest network of secure private
connections, hybrid database and storage solutions, and data residency and
encryption features — so your assets stay right where you need them. And with Azure Stack, you can bring the Azure model of
application development and deployment to your datacenter. Azure hybrid cloud
solutions give you the best of both worlds: more IT options, less complexity
and cost. It’s why it’s one of the best cloud computing services available.

●Scale as
you need, pay as you go

Azure’s pay-as-you-go services can
quickly scale up or down to match demand, so you only pay for what you use.
Per-minute billing and a commitment to match competitor prices for popular
infrastructure services like compute, storage and bandwidth mean you’re always
getting unbeatable price for performance.

●Protect
your data

We know some organizations are still wary
of the cloud. That’s why Microsoft has made an industry-leading commitment to
the protection and privacy of your data. We were the first cloud provider
recognized by the European Union’s data protection authorities for our
commitment to rigorous EU privacy laws. Microsoft was also the first major
cloud provider to adopt the new international cloud privacy standard, ISO
27018. We also launched Azure Government, a stand-alone version of Azure designed
to meet the rigorous compliance requirements of U.S. public agencies.

●Run your
apps anywhere

As the best cloud service from Microsoft,
Azure runs on a worldwide
network of Microsoft-managed datacenters across 30 regions—more countries and
regions than Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud combined. This fast-growing
global footprint gives you lots of options for running applications and
ensuring great customer performance. Azure is also the first multinational
cloud provider in mainland China.

●Make
smarter decisions

Azure’s predictive analytics services,
including Machine Learning, Cortana Analytics and Stream Analytics, are redefining
business intelligence. Make smarter decisions, improve customer service and
uncover new business possibilities from your structured, unstructured and
streaming Internet of Things data.

How do you know if your oil pipes located
in remote Alaska need repairs? Now, assets located anywhere can be monitored
from afar. Remote monitoring solutions collect live data from assets, and use
that data to trigger automatic alerts and operational actions based on current
conditions, such as remote diagnostics and maintenance requests. Go from a
manual, costly procedure to one that is dynamic and automated using IoT data.

●Predictive
maintenance

Predict
equipment failures before they happen, and systematically prevent them—even for
millions of machines spread across the globe. Predictive maintenance solutions
take advantage of streaming data from sensors and devices to recognize warning
signs, predict when equipment needs maintenance, and preemptively service that
equipment before costly repairs are needed.

Deliver better experiences and make
better decisions by analyzing massive amounts of data in real time. Get the
insight you need to deliver intelligent actions that improve customer
engagement, increase revenue, and lower costs.

WHY AZURE - A side-by-side
comparison of Azure, AWS, and Google.

●Compared
by service category: compute, storage, networking, and pricing structure.

*Image from Cloudamize.com with data as of 2016.

As the best cloud service from Microsoft, Azure runs on a
worldwide network of Microsoft-managed datacenters across 30 regions (2017)
—more countries and regions than Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud combined.
This fast-growing global footprint gives you lots of options for running
applications and ensuring great customer performance. Azure is also the first
multinational cloud provider in mainland China.

Azure charges customers by rounding up the number of
minutes used for on demand. Azure also offers short-term commitments with
discounts, it also gives startups free stuff — software, service, tech support,
and Azure cloud services. Your startup qualifies if it is less than 5 years
old, is privately held, and earns less than $1 million annually.